S/PV.1463 Security Council

My delegation and I have been deeply touched by your generous expressions of sympathy for the ordeal which Mr. Bouattoura’s family and the members of our Mission are now undergoing. We hope that our Ambassador will recover and be able to rejoin us very soon, and I shoild be grateful, Mr. President, if on behalf of our delegation and of President of the Security Council (S/8967) and note ’ Mr. Bouattoura’s family, you would thank all those who have offered us help and sympathy-in particular U Thant, the Secretary-General of our Organization, and Mr. Wiggins, whose assistance has been invaluable. We all pray that Mr. Bouattoura may be promptly restored to health, and we shall of course transmit the text of the President’s telegram both to the Algerian Government and to Mr. Bouattoura’s relatives. verbale dated 16 January 1969 frdm the Permanent Mission of Sp.ain to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/8968). Expression of sympathy to the representative of Algeria

Before taking up the business of the day, I am sure all members of the Council would wish me to say how profoundly distressed we were to hear what had happened to our highly respected colleague, Ambassador Bouattoura. I should like to, ask the delegation of Algeria to convey to its Government our feelings of concern and our heartfelt hope for his early recovery. Expression of thanks to the retiring President and to the retiring members of the Security Council, and welcome to the new members and to the representative of the United States of America

It is now my privilege, on behalf of the Council, to pay tribute to my predecessor in the Presidency, Ambassador Makonnen bf Ethiopia, who during the last days of the past year presided over the meetings of the Council with his customary skill and eloquence. Throughout the two years of Ethiopia’s membership he rendered outstanding service to the work of the Council in accordance with the best traditions of his great country. 2. I now call on the representative of Senegal. 3, Mr. BOYE (Senegal) (translated from Rench): Mr. President, I should like to raise a point of order in connexion with the confirmation you have just given of the news that our colleague Mr. Bouattoura has met with an unfortunate accident and is now in hospital in New York. 9. The five outgoing members of the Security Council were represented by an unusually distinguished group of men comprising, in addition to Ambassador Makonnen of Ethiopia, Ambassador Castro of Brazil, Ambassador Ignatieff of Canada, Ambassador Borch of Denmark and Ambassador Parthasaratbi of India. On behalf of the Council, I extend to them our sincere appreciation for their contribution to the work of the Council, They set a high 4. I should like formally to propose to our colleagues that a telegram should be sent to Ambassador Bouattoura expressing our sympathy and wishing him a full and speedy recovery.

I thank the representative of Senegal, and I would suggest that, if there is no objection, a telegram be sent on behalf of the Council to Ambassador 11. Ambassador Turbay Ayala of Colombia, Ambassador Khatri of Nepal, Ambassador de Pini& of Spain and Ambassador Mwaanga of Zambia have all played a prominent part in the activities of the United Nations and I am sure that the Council will prbfit from their experience and dedication. 12. I should also like to take this opportunity to extend a word of welcome to Ambassador Yost of the United States, new as Permanent Representative of his country but well known to most of us from his previous term of duty in the United Nations. His recent book ends with the thought that it is high time to begin the task of invigorating the United Nations. We are happy that he has been given the chance to take part in this great task. 13. I should now like to make a statement on behalf of my own country, FINLAND, which today is represented at this table for the first time. 14. As a small neutral country which has sought and found security not through reliance on military alliances or the protection of one group of Powers against others, but through a foreign policy designed to keep it outside international conflicts and controversies, Finland has a vital interest in promoting the development of a peaceful and rational world order based on the universal collective security system provided by the Charter of the United Nations. The primary responsibility for the effective func. tioning of this system rests with the Security Council-the supreme organ of co-operation between nations for the purpose of maintaining international peace and security. We believe that, as a member of the Security Council, Finland can best contribute to this co-operation through strict and consistent adherence t,o its policy of neutrality, which, while it enjoins us to refrain from taking sides in disputes betweetl the great Powers, enables us to maintain friendly relations with ail States across the dividing lines of ideology or military alignments and thus to work whenever possible for the cause of conciliation and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Neutral States have, we believe, a special obligation, not cinly to themselves but to the international community as a whole, to conduct themselves with objectivity and restraint so as to retain the confidence of all sides and thus the ability to perform such peaceful services as may be required in the interest of international peace and security. 15. It is in that spirit that Finland will endeavour to make its contribution to the work of the Security Council. Letter dated 9 January 1969 from tbe Secretary-General addressed to the President 0% the Security Council transmitting the text of General assembly resolution 2479 (XXIII) of 21 December 1968 (S/6962): 16 January 1969 from the Permanent nion of Soviet Socialist Republics to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/8967) an note verbale dated 16 January 1969 from the Permanent Mission of Spain to the United Nations addressed to tbe President of the Security Council (S/8968)

The Security Council will now begin its examination of the question placed before it by the delegations of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Spain in their communications which are referred to in the agenda that has just been adopted 17. In this connexion I should like to draw attention to the draft resolution submitted by eight delegations and circulated as document S/8976, as well as to the Secretary- General’s note on financial implications, which has been circulaied as document S/8977.

I should like to express my great satisfaction at the fact that my colleagues and myself have the honour to be present today at this rather unusual meeting of the Security Council-unusual, first, because of the items under discussion and, secondly, because five new members of the Council, elected at the twenty-third session of the General Assembly, are taking part in the Council’s work for the first time. I think the representatives of all States members of the Security Council, both those recently elected and those who might be called the veterans-permanent and non-permanent members alikemust agree that the first Security Council meeting of a new year with a new membership, following the regular session of the General Assembly, is always watched by everyone with keen interest; it automatically makes us look towards the future and hope that the joint work of the old and new members of the Council will be friendly and successful in achieving the noble aims and objectives set for the Security Council by the United Nations Charter. 19. We hope that those who have taken their seats at this table for the first time today also wish to participate fully in our work, and make their contribution to the common task of considering and settling matters relating to the maintenance and strengthening of peace and international security. 20. Those who have already participated in many Security Council meetings, of course, also wish to acquaint themselves more closely with their new colleagues and to co-operate with them in this noble work. 21. The Soviet delegation would like to offer its sincere congratulations to all the new representatives in the 23. We should like to extend to him also our best wishes. His wealth of experience, his vast learning, his knowledge of international problems-especially the problem which has recently been and remains the major preoccupation of the Security Council, the Secretary-General and world public opinion as a whole-we hope that all these qualities will contribute to the success of our common search for practical ways and means of solving not only this problem but all other problems facing the Security Council both now and in the future. 24. We are especially pleased to welcome you, Mr. President, the representative of a friendly neighbouring country to which the Soviet Union is closely bound by genuinely good-neighbourIy relations, and a country whose contribution to the cause of mutual understanding and co-operation stands high in our estimation. 25. Although only a short time has passed since your country became a member of the Security Council, you already enjoy a high degree of confidence and have the authority to guide the work of this body, which under the United Nations system is entrusted with the primary responsibility for the main-tenance of international peace and security. We have no doubt that your wealth of experience, your goodwill, your tact, so well-known at the United Nations, and your great talent for finding common ground and establishing professional and personal relations with the representatives of other countries are so many guarantees that you will discharge your extremely difficult but honourable and responsible duties to perfection, and we wish you all success in your task. 26. To our great sorrow and regret, today’s meeting of the Security Council is clouded by the enforced absence of the distinguished representative of Algeria, Mr. Bouattoura, our friend and colleague in the common struggle to strengthen peace, stamp out aggression and foster friendship and co-operation among peoples. We sincerely wish him a speedy recovery. 27. The Security Council has been convened today to consider a rather unusual question. It is not debating a dangerous international conflict or a dispute between states threatening international peace and security, matters with which the Security Council so often has to deal, beca.r:e of the responsibility for the maintenance of peace placed on it by the Charter. Today ‘he Council is concerned with a matter connected with its method of work, i.e. the procedural question of including Russian and Spanish among its working languages. 29. We are convinced that this must in general have a positive effect on the Security Council’s ability to discharge the noble tasks assigned to it by the Charter. 30. At its recent twenty-third session the General Assembly adopted, by an overwhelming majority, a resolution on the question of including Russian among the working languages of the General Assembly. In that resolution the Assembly expressed the desire that Russian should also be included among the working languages of the Security Council. 31. This shows that a great many of the States Members of the United Nations, representing all the social systems and all the main geographical areas in the world, wish such a decision to be taken. 32. During the proceedings in the General Assembly the representatives of many Member States, advocating the inclusion of Russian among the working languages of the Security Council, noted that it had now become an important means of communication among States and peoples, that it had made and continued to make a significant contribution to world civilization, and that it was one of the leading languages in contemporary literature on’ the broadest range of scientific, technological and cultural questions. Russian is spoken not only on earth, but in outer space. If we take only one field of human endeavour directly related to the work of the United Nations-international intercourse and diplomacy-we cannot but note that Russian is used in the United Nations system by the representatives of countries with a population of more than 300 million, and that it is spoken by the representatives of Member States from Europe, Africa, Asia and now, it seems, even from Latin America. 33. This goes to show that the inclusion of Russian among the working languages of the Security Council would make a significant and valuable contribution to international intercourse and co-operation and would facilitate participation in the Council’s work both for representatives of the States members of the Council and for those invited to sit at the Council table during the consideration of important matters involving their national interests. 34. It was also pointed out in the General Assembly that Russian is the language of a country which played a significant role in the creation of the United Nations, which has been a permanent member of the Security Council since the foundation of the Organization, which has always done its utmost to forge the United Nations into an effective instrument for strengthening international peace and security and giving support to all peoples in their struggle against colonialism and racism for freedom and independence. 35. May I, in all modesty, say that we think tiat these words are justified, since the Soviet Union does indeed 37. In strongly advocating the inclusion of Russian among the working languages of the Security Council, the Soviet Union was not and is not seeking any special one-sided privileges. We understand and respect the interests of other States and groups of States’ in this matter and for that reason we unhesitatingly supported the proposal made at the twenty-third session of the General Assembly that Spanish should also be included among the working languages of the Security Council, since it is the basic language of many States Members of the United Nations. 38. Therefore, in proposing that the Security Council should decide to include Russian among its working languages, we ask that that decision should also be applied to Spanish, 39. The Soviet delegation is therefore pleased to introduce officially to the Council a draft resolution submitted by eight countries-Algeria, Colombia, Hungary, Pakistan, Senegal, Spain, Zambia and the Soviet Union-on the question of including Russian and Spanish among the working languages of the Security Council [S/89 76/. 40. This draft and the General Assembly resolution to which reference is made note that the use of several languages by the United Nations could constitute an enrichment and a means of attaining the objectives of the Charter of the United Nations. 41. The draft resolution contains a clear, simple operative paragraph, in accordance with wbich’the Security Council would decide to include Russian and Spanish among its working languages and, ln this connexion, to amend rules 41, 42, 43 and 44 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council. The revised text of those rules is annexed to the draft resolution. These amendments are designed to reflect the increase in the number of the Council’s working languages and do not propose any other changes in the rules of procedure. It is our view that the rules of procedure must be amended only to the extent that is absolutely necessary. Of course, the changes in these rules would have no effect whatsoever on the existing practice in the Security Council which provides for simultaneous interpretation into all the official languages of all state. merits made in the Council. 42. We know that during the consultations which preceded this meeting of the Security Council some delega. 43. In our view, the answer to this question can only be determined from the future experience of the Council; to make any changes in its practice at this stage would be premature and inappropriate. 44. In conclusion, the Soviet delegation would like to express the hope that all members of the Security Council, prompted by a desire to expand and strengthen their mutual understanding and co-operation in the Council, will unanimously support this draft resolution on the question of including Russian and Spanish among the working languages of the Security Council. 45. I waive my right to consecutive interpretation, 46. Mr. DE PINlESl\(Spain) (translated from Spanish): Having been elected by the General Assembly to this important office, my delegation is now taking part in the work of the Security Council for the first time. My first words must be to extend my greetings to all the members of the Council, and particularly to the Algerian Ambassador, my good friend Mr. Bouattoura. We pray for his speedy recovery and hope that we shall soon be able to count on his valuable assistance. 47. 1 should like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr. President, on the election of Finland as a member of this high Council. This also means that it is your task to preside over the first meeting of the session which begins today. Your competence, sense of responsibility and personal qualities inspire confidence in us as we begin our work. 48. My delegation also wishes to congratulate the representatives of Colombia, Zambia and Nepal who have also just joined the Council. I cannot fail to mention that we derive special pleasure from the fact that on this auspicious occasion we are joined by two Spanish-speaking countries with which we have so many close ties. 49. Similarly, I should like to thank the representative of the Soviet Union for his cordial welcome to the new members of the Council. I should also like to extend my greetings to the Unit.ed States Ambassador, Mr. Yost, whom we know from the past. We congratulate him on his election to such an important post. 50. While briefly mentioning my country’s feelings on assuming this office, I feel bound to mention that, since Spain joined the United Nations, its delegation has always striven to uphold the ideals of the Charter. It has constantly tried to strengthen the authority of the Organization and comply faithfully with its resolutions and decisions. 51. It is a long time since the activities of the General Assembly and the Council were of necessity restricted by their limited membership. The historical circumstances in 52. Although conceived of ideally as a universal organizalion, the IJnitcd Nations had in fact many defects in the beginning. Fortunately, today WC can say that SORIC of the early mistakes hue been corrected, certain injustices have been wiped out and, with the admission of over seventy more StatCS, millions Of IllCIl Cilil now IllilkC their voices heard. Bven though the Olganization is still not perfect, it is obviously n10rc rcprcscntative and fairer than it was initially. I believe that these two characteristics are absolutely essential when 0nC considers the importance that our discussions ilIld decisions Can have. 53. The spirit which made the ~‘WIOUS “package deal” admission Of StiltCY possible in IOSS, which was when we join4 the Organi?.ation, proved that it is always possible to coml>romisc. The fact that two of those States arc today taking their plact! in tlir Conncit for the first time is yet anotljer itrgllllldIlf in filVtNlr of the ildInisSi0Il of all pc;lce-lovi~~g L’ountrics which undcrtakc to respect the rules of the OIgani;z:!t ion ill orilcr to ItliikC it trllly universal. S4. The problcnls that we shall have to consider in the next two years ilIt, by their vrry Ililtllrc, serious. Whatever they III:I~ be, my country is ready always to consider them in the ligll t 01‘ the strictest principles of equity and justice. In.th:it Gay. it will merely bc trying to he faithful to an age-old tradition rooted in the point in history--and I want to stress this -at which its material power wx at its peak. b:thicnl reasons, tclgethcr *with the internationalist tradition of the Spitnisll schol>l of SaIaIllitIIca aIlcl Aleal;i, make IIS always ready to tistcn to the voice of justice and to cnd~;lvour to ensure comptianc*c with the obligations arising from voluntary ac<:el>tancc of the Charter, an undertaking which id1 Memtxx StiltCS tlilVC CXpreSSly lll~lCIC. 111 a world of opposing intcrcsts ilIld fierce conflicts the only olt~rIliltiVC io the tragfjcly of il world-wide catastrophe is strict enforcement of the law and complete raspcct for the principles of Itic C’lliirter. 55. My country fully ur\d~rst;lnds that thcrc are reasons for granting certain privilcgcs to other Stales with wider intcrests. At ill1 CVClltS, WC 1laVC iIll flJITlillly XCCplCd ttlCSC privilcgcs. I1iIl it is only fair that, whilst recognizing theIll, wc shc.)ultl rcrnind the privilcgcd StiltCS. of their greater responsibility and their binding duty to respect the opinion of the majority, rcflccted in General Assembly resolutions, when that privilege is not involved. That is the only way that ttlu k!liL!iltC IllCChillliSlll Of IXll~lrlCCS created by the Ctlilrkr to SilfCgll~lrd 1XilCC and security Cilfl function. 56. My delegati1tn ~olcmnly undertakes to devote itself entirely to the great responsibility it has assumed hy iiCCI?ptiIIg this office. We will iIlw~lyS Cll~lIll~JilJIl gOOd CnlISCS; WC shall be iI friend to all those who come to IIS and make no distinction between old and new countries. from one continent or another, whatever their political convic:Lions; we Shdl bc ready to help them to find settlements through negotiation based on the principle of justice which should

May I at this first meeting of the Security Council in l!W) walcome you as the President of the Council for this month and also as the representative of a friendly country, Finland, one of the new members of the Security Council. The ever-increasing tics between our countries are due not only to our common efforts to maintain peace and security in Europe, but to the special iink created by ethnic and linguistic kinship. We trust that our co-operation with you will prove fruitful and arc convinced that your remarkable and well-known personal qualities will do much to make this possible. I wish you iI11 success both as President of the Security Council and in your future work in the Council. 59. 1 am very happy to extend a warm welcome to the representatives of Nepal and Zarnbiz, Mr. Khatri and Mr. Mwoangn. The elrction of these countries to the Security Council is an eloquent testimony of the high cstccm in which the Members of our Organization hold the honoured representatives of Asia and Africa. We are convinced that these t,wo delegations will labour as unstintingly in the Council to strengthen lIeact: and security, as they have done in other organs of the &ited Nations. 60. I assure them that in this work they Cilll illWityS rely W the sympathy and co-operation of the llungarian dclcgation. 61. I should also like to wdcorne, on behalf of my dclegntion, two other new membt~rs of the Council--the representatives of Colombia and Spain, Mr. Turbay Ayah illId Mr, de PiniBs. I hope tllat we shall be able to combine our efforts to settle international issues. 62. 1 should like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude tn those colleagues who lsft the Coxncil upon the expiry of the term of office of their countries at the end of 1968. I shall always rcmembcr with pleasure our work with the reprcsentntives of Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ethiopia and India. 64. We should like to join with the President in expressing regret at the absence of our good friend, Mr. Bouattoura, who is seriously ill. We wish to convey our sympathy to the delegation of Algeria, with the hope that Mr. Bouattoura will soon recover and continue to make his useful and fruitful contribution to internatiorud peace and COoperation, 65. This Security Council meeting has been convened at the request of the Soviet Union and Spain for the purpose of considering the General Assembly’s proposal that Russian and Spanish should be included among the working languages of the Security Council. General Assembly resolution 2479 (XXIII), which was adopted by an overwhelming majority on 21 December 1968, indicated the desirability of adopting such a proposal, and requested the Secretary-General to transmit the resolution to the Security Council. In our view, the General Assembly’s proposal quite rightly requires the Council to take immediate action. Both Russian and Spanish are already official languages of the Council. Outstanding literary masterpieces have been written in those languages. They are both languages in which many shades of meaning can be expressed. They are spoken in many parts of the world. They are the mother tongue and the means of international communication in a large part of the world. At least one third of the members of the Security Council use these languages in their work. 66. My delegation considers that these facts speak for themselves. The Hungarian delegation, whose native tongue, like yours, Mr. President, is unfortunately not a language of international importance, fully support the General Assembly’s proposal, and is prepared to vote in favour of draft resolution S/8976. 67. It also hopes that, as we start a new year, this draft resolution will be adopted unanimously by the Security Council.

Mr. President, the fact that the honour and responsibility of conducting the opening debates of our new Council have been entrusted to you augurs well for the year 1969. 69. Your qualities as a diplomat and your experience in the United Nations are well known to us all, and we have on many occasions admired your intelligence, devotion and spirit of co-operation. We are convinced that you will guide our work in the right direction, thus following the path paved by your predecessor, the representative of Ethiopia. 70. We are happy to greet you also as the representative of a country with which, as shown by the recent visit to Paris of the President of the Finnish Republic, France has warm and steadfast friendly relations, and we are very pleased to welcome your country to this Council today. 72. I wish also to pay a sincere tribute to the delegations of Brazil, Canada, Denmark and Ethiopia, who throughout the two years in which we worked together were imbued with this same spirit of co-operation, which must be the moving spirit of the Security Council. 73. Finally, I wish to express to the delegation of Algeria my delegation’s deep concern at the state of health of its leader, Mr. Bouattoura, and to ask it to convey our wannest sympathy to our colleague in his misfortune and to his young wife. 74. On the item on our agenda, I intend to be very brief. In the letters from the Permanent Representatives of the Soviet Union and Spain which have been circulated to us, reference is made to General Assembly resolution 2479 (XXIII). My delegation voted in favour of that resolution and it sees no reason to dwell at length on its merits at this stage. Spanish is the official language of twenty-one States in Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa, and is also widely used in other countries. Many United Nations delegations speak that rich and varied language, which I have admired since the time, long ago, when I was a member of the Casa Velasquez in Madrid. 75. The adoption of this new working language by the Council, besides being the logical conclusion of the General Assembly’s proceedings and recommendations, will be the practical expression of the desire of the members of the Council that their debates should be accessible to a wider audience. 76. The same applies to Russian, Although admittedly this language is spoken by only a small number of delegations, it too has made a valuable contribution to culture and civilization. 77. My delegation will therefore vote in favour of the draft resolution submitted by Algeria, Colombia, Hungary, Pakistan, Senegal, Spain, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Zambia,

Thank you, Mr. President. Merci, Monsieur le B&dent. Blagadaryu vas. Gospodin Predseda tiel. Gracias, Seaor Presiden tee. 79. First I shall like to express the deep concern and sympathy that my delegation feels for our brother, the representative of Algeria. 80. Next, Mr. President, I should like to welcome you as our President. When I first came here, two years ago, I asked friends for lists of persons who really understood the 81. I also wish to associate my delegation with the tributes you paid to our greatly respected colleague, your predecessor, Mr. Makonnen, and to all our comrades who worked with us in the past two years. 82. Allow me also, on behalf of my delegation, to welcome the representatives of the countries that have joined us: Spain, Nepal, your country, Mr. President, Colombia and Zambia. These are all countries with special contributions to make to our work, and we look forward greatly to working with them in our mutual task of seeking for peace and security. 83. Lastly, may I add a personal, warm word of welcome to my neighbour, Ambassador Yost. 84. My delegation well understands the natural wish of those whose mother tongue is either Russian or Spanish to see these languages working languages of this Council. These are two great, rich and beautiful languages, and in human and cultural terms we cannot but welcome the addition of the languages of Tolstoy and Cervantes to those of Shakespeare and Voltaire. 85. The reservations we have are influenced, however, by the rather more drab and mundane standards of practicality and efficiency. Briefly we consider the test of the need to adopt an additional working language to be the extent to which its adoption would expedite our work. What we need is the quickest, simplest and cheapest method of international communication. Maybe one day, regardless of pride in our national tongues, we will all learn one common second language. If the peoples of the world could communicate in one international language there would be few limits to what could be achieved. In the words of the Old Testament,’ speaking of the days before the Tower of Babel: “The people is one and they have all one language . . . and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do”. 86. In the view of my delegation a multiplicity of working languages is not conducive to the efficiency of the Organization, nor does it represent the best use of our limited financial resources. That remains our view. And we do not consider that a decision to increase the working languages of the Council should be regarded as a precedent. Indeed, I sometimes think that rather than being eloquent in four working languages, we would do better to emulate Count Moltke, who was reported to be “silent in seven languages”. 87. My delegation is also concerned lest the marrying of four working languages with out-of-date rules of procedure may give rise to opportunities for obstruction in the work of the Council itself. I believe that the delegations of the Soviet Union and of Spain are equally well aware of these dangers, and will work with,the Council to avoid them. 1 Genesis, chap. XI, 6. 89. Despite our doubts and reservations, we shall vote for the draft resolution set out in document S/8976, and we pay homage to two splendid languages reflecting the genius of two great peoples and civilizations. 90. Finally, this draft resolution must have reminded all of us of the extent to which we in this Council, as in other organs of the United Nations, are dependent on the devoted body of interpreters and translators. We should be helpless without their services, whatever the number of working languages. Considering the difficulties under which they work and the speed at which they have to operate, their standard is very high indeed. I am happy to have this occasion to pay a tribute to them.

Mr. President, first and foremost I should like to convey to you our warmest congratulations on your assumption of the office of President of this Council. We have complete confidence that you will guide our discussions with the tact, wisdom and diplomatic skill which you have always shown. We for our part offer you our wholehearted co-operation. 92. Following the elections at the twenty-third session of the General Assembly, the representatives of Colombia, Finland, Nepal, Spain and Zambia are now taking their places in the Council for the first time in 1969. We are sure that each one of these countries will make an effective and lasting contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security in conformity with their past traditions. We should like to extend the warmest welcome to all their representatives. But, for reasons which will be quite clear to everybody, I should like to mention in particular the presence of Colombia and Spain. Those two countries have old and fin-n bonds of friendship with mine and their representatives to the United Nations have honoured me with their friendship. 93, This is an occasion for celebration. Since the time when the United Nations was established and the Council actually began its activities, two places in the Council have always been occupied by States from the Latin American region where Spanish is almost universally spoken. These representatives have constantly had to cope with the disadvantage of having only the English and French versions of verbatim records of the Council’s meetings and other equally important documents. The only exception has been that, in accordance with the last part of rule 45 of the provisional rules of procedure, certain fragmentary-and I repeat fragmentary-records have been available. 94. There is no need to stress the magnitude of this drawback-it has meant that the representatives of Intin America have not been able to read and quote from these important documents in their mother tongue. However, this will be remedied when the Council adopts, as we are sure it 96. We definitely hope that this long overdue decision will now be adopted, now that for the first time in the history of the Council, the representatives of three-I repeal of three-countries whose official langdage is Spanish are taking part in thjs meeting as members of the Council. We are also delighted that it was none other than Spain which took the initiative and principal action to realize the long-standing aspiration of Latin America. From what I have said above, it will be.understood that when the draft resolution in question is putjto the,,vote, my delegation will vote in favour of it. 97. Before concluding, I should like to add a few words more. Firstly, I should like to extend our greetings to the new representative of the United States of Anerica, Mr. Charles Yost. We welcome his return to the Organization which he has so brilliantly served in the past. 98. Secondly, I should like to repeat what I said at our last meeting in 1968, on 31 December, when I expressed our sincere and profound gratitude to Canada, Brazil, Denmark, Ethiopia and India and their representatives for their outstanding work in the Council and our appreciation of your predecessor .as President, our good friend Mr. Makonnen. 99. At the beginning of today’s meeting, on behalf of the Council you expressed common concern for our colleague, Mr. Bouattoura, the representative of Algeria. In accordance with the proposal of the Ambassador of Senegal, it was also decided to send the telegram tihich you kindly read out to us. Although my delegation’s feelings are reflected in your words and in the telegram, nevertheless I should like to add a personal note and express my most sincere wishes for the complete recovery of Mr, Bouattoura. We are extremely concerned about his impaired health and sincerely regret his absence from our midst at this meeting. 100. I should like to ask the representative of Algeria to accept our expressions of sympathy and, at the same time, to be so kind as to convey them to Mr. Bouattoura’s family.

Mr. President, may I warmly welcome you to the Council, and also our new colleagues, Ambassadol: Turbay Ayala of Colombia, Ambassador Khatri of Nepal, Ambassador de Pin& of Spain, and Ambassador Mwaanga of Zambia. As all of you join us here you enrich the composition of the Council with your personal abilities and dedication to the cause of the United Nations, for which you are well known. You also bring to the Council the distinctive perspectives in which the problems confronting us are viewed in your respective countries and regions, We have no doubt that by virtue of the representation of your Governments and of the confidence you enjoy from your own regional groups, you 103. Ambassador Yost is not a newcomer to this Council. I should like to extend my delegation’s cordial welcome to him as the distinguished representative of the United States. He brings to his new duties not only a breadth of erudition and richness 0-F txperience, but also an insight into the insecurity of nations. He joins us here at a historic moment, which promises to be a point of convergence of the forces of peace. We are uplifted by the ,words of President Nixon that America is determined to master this moment and grasp the role of peacemaker for which history reserves its highest accolade. The time of renewal and rededication is also a time of re-examination. Ambassador Yost’s assignment here thus gain,s in significance, and we pray that his tenure will witness the transition to the era of negotiations with all the promise that it holds for the future of mankind. 104.. On a personal level, I look forward to friendly association and close co-operation with all our new colleagues, both within and outside this Council chamber. 105. I should also like to take this opportunity to pay my tribute to the devotion to the Council’s objectives demon,. strated by the outgoing members. The positive contribu. tions made by Ambassador de Arailjo Castro of Brazil, Ambassador Ignatieff of Canada, Ambassador Borch of Denmark, Ambassador Makonnen of Ethiopia and Ambassador Parthasarathi of India to the Council’s achievements during their term of membership of the Couilcil will always be remembered by those of us who had the privilege of working with them. Ambassador Makonnen of Ethiopia presided over the Council last month with conspicuous ability, tact and wisdom. 106. Finally, Mr. President, I offer you my congratulations on your assumption of the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of January. Having heard your statement this morning, we have no doubt that your devotion to the high principles of the foreign policy of Finland and your own outstanding personal and professional qualities will be a source of inspiration and wisdom to the Council. 107. With regard to the item on our agenda for today, it will be recalled that the General Assembly adopted, at its twenty-third session, resolution 2479 (XXIII), deciding to include Russian among the working languages of the General Assembly and expressing the view that it was desirable to include Russian and Spanish among the working languages of the Security Council. Accordingly, my delegation has joined with the delegations of the Soviet Union, Spain and five other countries, namely, Algeria, Colombia, Hungary, Senegal and Zambia, in sponsoring the draft resolution contained in document S/8976 to give effect to that recommendation of the General Assembly. 108. The Pakistan delegation does not belittle the view that the criterion for determining what should be the 109. Now that the General Assembly has decided to include Russian and Spanish among its working languages, it is both timely and appropriate for the Security Council to give weight to the General Assembly’s considered view that it would be desirable that these two great and rich languages should become working languages of the Security Council as well, 110. By responding to General Assembly resolution 2479 (XXIII), the Council is now beginning its work in the new year on a positive note. It would be excessive optimism on our part if we thought that in the coming months all decisions would be equally harmonious and equally free of rancour. But the hope is not vain that the Council will do its utmost to sustain this note of balance and progress on which we are proceeding with our deliberations today. 117. We are still far from having made a reality of those principles and pledges. We have made but a beginning. Mow far and how fast we go forward will depend to a large extent on the members of this Council. I assure you that to move forward together will be the solemn and the unremitting purpose of my Government and myself.

Mr. President, may I express to you and to my other colleagues in the Security Council my warm thanks for the kind words of welcome that have been addressed to me on my return to the United Nations and. to the Council table. It is a particular pleasure to return to the Council at a moment when you, Mr. President, are in the Chair. Your distinguished record of service to the United Nations as the representative of Finland is well known to all of us here, and we are fortunate to be meeting und.er your able leadership. I have a particular feeling of appreciation at being able to collaborate with an old friend on this, my first attendance here as Permanent Representative of the United States. 118. At this first meeting of the Security Council in 1969, it is my privilege also to say a word of welcome, on behalf of the United States, to the distinguished representatives of the five nations which have just begun their turn as elected members of the Council: Colombia, Fi-iland, Nepal, Spain and Zambia. Like their immediate predecessors-Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ethiopia and India-each of our newly elected colleagues has much to contribute to our work, as is shown by their record of past service to the United Nations. We shall, I know, have frequent reason to appreciate their presence in this Council during the next two years, and my delegation looks forward with much pleasure to working with them. 112. Let me also express Ihe appreciation of the United States delegation for the valued services of your distinguished predecessor, Ambassador Makonnen of Ethiopia. 119. Also on behalf of the United States, I wish to join with those other members who have expressed deep sympathy and concern over the serious illness of our colleague and friend, the representative of Algeria, Ambassador Bouattoura. I very much welcome our decision to dispatch to him a telegram of sympathy and good wishes. 113. I need hardly say how gratifying it is to me to be back. My greatest wish as United States representative is to be able to render some service to the cause of peace and security among nations, the cause for which the United Nations was created and to which my country is unalterably comm.itted. 120. Finally, since I am a late-comer and missed the occasion itself, I wish ,to take this opportunity to cnngratulate our distinguished Secretary-General on his sixtieth birthday. I wish him many h.appy returns, which I am confident will be happy returns not only for him and his family, but for the United Nations and the world, 114. That commitment was reiterated by President Nixon last 17 December, even before he took office, when he paid call on the Secretary-General accompanied by Lr. Rogers, the present Secretary oi State. On that occasion Mr. Nixon pledged “our intention in these years ahead to do everything that we can to strengthen this Organization as it works in the cause of peace throughout the world”. 121. Like other members of the Council, the United States is pleased that we are starting the new year on a note of harmony. As members of the Council are aware, the ‘Jnited States adopted a position in the General Assembly 116. This opportunity is especially welcome to me because I deeply believe that nations can find only a limited and precarious security in arming against each other, that firm and lasting security for each nation can be realized only as and when we carry out the pledges we each assumed when we subscribed to the Charter of the United Nations: “to practise tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and “to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and “to ensure, by the acceptance of principles <and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest”. 122. Since it is necessary to amend the Council’s provisional rules of procedure to take account of the decision we are about to take, in the view of my delegation it would also be desirable to take the additional step of dealing with the problem of consecutive interpretation. 123. The practice of consecutive interpretation dates from the early days of the United Nations when thr: technical facilities for simultaneous interpretation did not exist. After the provision of the excellent system of simultaneous interpretation that we now enjoy, the practice developed for speakers to waive the right to consecutive interpretation. By doubling the number of working languages but failing to grapple with the anachronism of consecutive interpretation, we have left open the possibility that the work of the Council, which is of such high importance, might be seriously impeded. 124. We are also faced, as the Secretary-General’s note [S/8977/ makes clear, by substantial extra expenses, which might be reduced if we take timely and appropriate precautions. My delegation would therefore hope that at an early date the Council may see fit to re-examine and to adopt a further amendment to the provisional rules of procedure which would provide for consecutive interpretation only at the prior request of a member of the Council, perhaps with the further understanding that if consecutive interpretation is desired into more than one working language such interpretation might be carried out at the same time. We believe that an amendment along such lines would facilitate our work and would contribute substantially to economy and efficiency in the Secretariat. I hope that my colleagues will give this suggestion early and sympathetic consideration.

Mr. President, permit me on behalf of my delegation, to extend our felicitations on your assumption of the high office of President of the Security Council for the month of January. Knowing your enormous personal qualities, we are confident that you will perform your most difficult task to our utmost satisfaction. I should also like to welcome Ambassador Yost, the representative of the United States, and to assure him of our fullest co-operation. 126. Since this is the first time that my country is represented on the Security Council as a nonapennanent member, I should like to ask the indulgence of the Council and take this opportunity to thank you, Mr. President, and alI those who have showered my delegation with overgenerous and undeserved words of welcome. 128. We have come here, first, to learn how the job is done from those who are alreacly masters in rhe art and, secondly, to make our maximum contribution towards fmding solutions to problems which so violently divide the world. We are a small country both in ::rms of size and population, but we have a big ambition lo work relentlessly for the establishment of a ju.st and lasting peace, to build bridges between nations where they do not exist and to make wars a thing of the past. Zambia’s voice in the Cbuncil will unambiguously serve the cause of justice and freedom for all men wherever they may be. In keeping with our cherished policy of positive non-alignment, we shall continue to pursue a dynamic and ob.jective foreign policy which will enable us to take positions on issues purely on their merits. We shall therefore refuse to be taken for granted by anyone, anywhere. 129. We have not come here for the purpose of making friends; we have not come here for the purpose of making enemies; we have come here to speak for justice and fair play and against all evils which threaten the very existence of mankind. We shall work tirelessly to help in the furtherance of the purposes of the United Nations Charter and in the discharge of the responsibilities devolving on the Council under the Charter. The Republic of Zambia, which I am privileged ,to represent, is geographically located in one of the most potentially explosive areas of confrontation in international politics, and it will, with this in mind, fight for the total elimination of colonialism, of policies of aggression in all their forms, of imperialism and of all forms of intervention or foreign interference in the domestic affairs of truly independent and sovereign States. 130. We pledge our full co-operation with the delegations represented on the Council in defending the United Nations Charter and promoting a policy of friendship among all peoples based on equality. 131. Turning to the question on our agenda, my delegation voted in favour of General Assembly resolution 2479 (XXIII) on 21 December 1968, and will today, for the reasons stated then2 and as a co-sponsor of draft resolution S/8976, vote in favour of this draft resolution today. 132. Mr. Turbay AYALA (Colombia) (translated from Spanish): My delegation would like to express its appreciation for the. most sincere welcome which it has received along with the other countries newly elected at the last session of the Assembly to take their place in this Council. The welcome encourages us and gives us confidence and it makes US more aware of our grave responsibilities. 2 See Offiial Records of the General Assembly, Session, Plenary Meetings, 1752nd meeting. Twenty-tflird 140. My thanks go to all. But I should not like to end without expressing my appreciation of the work accomplished by the representative of Brazil, whose place Colombia now occupies.

1 should like first of all, Mr. President, to welcome your country, Finland, as a member of the Security Council, to congratulate you on your assumption of the office of President of the Council, and to express my delegation’s full confidence in you as our leader for this month. 142. May I also welcome the other new members of the Security Council-namely, Colombia, Spain and Zambiawith whom we look forward to work in close collaboration in the two years that lie ahead. 1134, I should like to state that we understand our position here to be that of all small countries. We are definitely not Powers in the material sense but are just as concerned as the great Powers and perhaps more so when peace is disturbed. The cause of peace is indivisible and concerns us deeply as such, not the particular peace in any specific area. Everything that happens in the world is of interest to us in so far as today the world has shrunk and all the problems in the world affect every citizen. Problems have ceased being international problems to a certain extent and have become national problems of concern to everybody. 143. I cannot fail to convey my profound gratitude to the outgoing members for their valuable and constructive work in the Council. I reserve my special appreciation and thanks for Ambassador Parthasarathi and the country he represented, India, which we have succeeded in the Council and with which my country enjoys the closest and friendliest of relations, relations which are traditional and timehonoured. 144. I also pay my tribute to Ambassador Wiggins of the United States, who has left us after a brief but pleasant association, and extend my hand of welcome to Ambassador Yost, whom many of us know as a valued friend and colleague. 135. On this occasion I should like to place on record the esteem which my delegation feels for the President of the Council. We know his intelligence and his great experience. We know that under his leadership we shall be well directed and shall achieve the aims which we have set for ourselves. 145. On this occasion I wish to associate myself with the telegram sent on behalf of the Council expressing concern at the serious illness of Ambassador Bouattoura of Algeria. We wish him a very speedy and complete recovery. 136. Similarly, 1 am extremely pleased that the representative of the United States, Mr. Yost, has today taken his place at the first meeting of the Council in 1969 and that he can bring to the cause of peace his knowledge, and above all, the desire for peace expressed by the Government of his country, which has filled the world with justified enthusiasm. 146. My delegation is very grateful to you, Mr. President, and to other members of the Council for the generous and friendly words of welcome addressed to my country as it assumes membership of the Security Council. May 1 say with humility that we are aware of the distinction, as well as the responsibilities, of membership of the Security Council, to which the General Assembly has elected us. We take it as a mark of reassuring goodwill shown by Member States to LIS, Nepal, whose policy, as laid down by His Majesty King Mahendra, has all along been one of friendship and goodwill to all, and malice to none. I wish to assure the Council of my delegation’s loyal service and full and complete co-operation in the fulfilment of our common mandate: that is, the upholding of the integrity of the Charter and the maintenance of international peace and security. 137. With regard to the draft resolution now before us IS/89 761, my delegation was honoured to sponsor it because it believes that even though there may be procedural difficulties involved, the possibility of using two new important working languages would obviously make a great contribution to the better understanding and achievement of the aims of the Charter. 138. I do not think that there is any need to eulogize the Spanish and Russian languages or point out their importance. The fact that they are spoken by 500 million persons already in itself makes it most important to take them into account as working languages of the Security Council. We, for our part, believe that we are making a great contribution to better understanding among nations by sponsoring this draft resolution. 147. With regard to the draft resolution before the Council [S/8976], I should like to explain in a few words the affirmative vote of my delegation. The delegation of Nepal will cast a favourable vote on this draft resolution 148. With the adoption of this draft resolution, all official languages, with the exception of Chinese, will have similar standing as working languages in two of the principal organs of the United Nations. Our favourable vote on this draft resolution, however, should not be regarded as derogating in any way from our recognition of the status of Chinese as one of the five Charter languages. 149. One of the world’s oldest and most developed and articulate languages, Chinese, is spoken by, and unites, more people than any other language. Moreover, it is an embodiment of all that is best and noblest in the civilization and culture of mankind. It is in the interest of promoting international understanding that we think that that language also should be increasingly used by the United Nations. 150. The discussion of the present draft resolution has, quite logically, brought to our mind the deplorable situation in which our Organization finds itself today: The People’s Republic of China, the source and mainstay of that great language, a founding Member of the United Nations, a major nuclear Power and, moreover, a permanent member of the Security Council, has had all its rights usurped in the United Nations. The fundamental way of life of the 800 million Chinese people, their culture, their civilization, their aspirations, their heritage and their language can be represented by no authorities except the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China, which is the one legal Government accepted by them. If we are to be at all successful in attaining the principles and purposes of the Charter, it is high time that we restored all the legitimate rights of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations and in all its organs and related agencies. 15 1. Mr. BOYE (Senegal) (translated from French): My delegation is pleased to be able to offer its congratulations to the new members of the Security Council-Colombia, Finland, Nepal, Spain and Zambia. 152. These five countries are from different continents. But although there are geographical, historical, economic and ethnic differences between them, they are. bound together not only by a feeling of human solidarity, but by a steadfast determination to strive for the victory of our Oganization’s noble ideals and for the achievement of a new international system based on international peace and security. 153. It is this same ideal which, as we all know, for two years prevailed among the outgoing members of this 154. I am convinced, like other representatives, that those whom we are welcoming to the Council today will also preserve their faith in our Organization and that they are equally determined to co-operate sincerely and fruitfully for the greater success of the Council’s work. 155. In congratulating you, Mr. President, 1 wish in particular to say that my country felt deeply honoured by the fact that the President of Finland decided to spend his recent winter holidays at Dakar. This is further evidence of the ties between our two countries, as we reaffirm our determination to work together in this Council for the attainment of our common ideals of peace and social justice. 156. May I add that my delegation welcomes with satisfaction the appointment of Mr. Yost as the Permanent Representative of the United States of America. We remember his predecessor, Mr. Wiggins, as a man both talented and amiable. Mr. Yost is well acquainted with OUI Organization, and we are aware of his wide knowledge and of the work he has done in this Council. We are pleased to welcome him and to wish him a pleasant stay with us, and we hope our work together will help to realize our aspirations for peace in a world ruled by social justice. 157. Finally, my delegation shares the concern of its colleagues in the delegation of Algeria over the health of our friend Mr. Bouattoura. We again wish the Ambassador a speedy and complete recovery and ask the representative of Algeria in the Council to transmit our warmest expressions of sympathy to Mrs. Bouattoura and to the members of the Algerian Mission. 158. It is encouraging to note that the first item before our Council in this new year is of a cultural and thus a peaceful nature. As we see it, the essence of the question is that Russian and Spanish are the two cultural languages spoken by a large section of the world’s population. 159. My country is proud to belong to a large linguistic group known as the French-speaking community, of which it is one of the rnost staunch supporters and advocates. Nevertheless, we cannot overlook the increasing influence and importance of Russian and Spanish. 160. In principle, my country is in favour of the use of all languages, as they are the real means of expressing thought, and because, above all, they are a magnificent cultural medium and an outstanding means of achieving the understanding among all men without which there can be no peace on earth. 161. In this connexion, it is perhaps pertinent to note that Senegal, a country which believes in the exchange of ideas, which is open to all views and which hopes to play its part in building a world civilization, has already made R.rtssian a second optional language in its schools and colleges. 162. Russian is the official language of the Soviet Uniona major political, economic and scientific Power and a 163. Furthermore, the Security Council, as the body primarily responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, cannot continue to neglect Russian as a working language, when we see the exploits of Soviet scientists and cosmonauts, a few days after those accomplished by United States scientists and astronauts. 164. We would like here to pay a tribute to them both. 165. Furfiennore, Russian is spoken by many millions of people, and its influence throughout the world will increase in the future. This is, therefore, a question not only of doing justice to a great country, but also of paying tribute to a nation which is earnestly trying to develop science in the service of mankind and, consequently, of international peace and security. 166. As far as Spanish is concerned, we have for a long time been acquainted with the literature of the beautiful language of Cervantes. 167. On a personal note, I should merely like to point out that Spanish sounds and words, altered over the centuries, are to be found in our national language. Spanish is spoken in nearly all continents. We would therefore be pleased to see the Council restore that language to its true place. 168. If our Organization wishes to be the breeding ground for a world civilization, it must welcome the inclusion of these two languages among the working languages of the Security Council. Realism, if nothing else, dictates that we should do so. We will thus enable these two languages to play their true role, which is to foster international understanding so that the world peace which we all so earnestly desire may become a reality.

I wish to take advantage of this opportunity to welcome the new members of the Security Council and offer them our warmest congratulations on their election to this high position. Congratulations go in particular to you, Mr. President, the representative of a country with which Algeria has long had close ties. We are convinced that your abilities will find full scope in our work and would like to assure you that you will receive full support from our delegation in discharging your duties. 170. I should also like on behalf of the Algerian delegation to welcome Mr. Charles Yost, the Ambassador of the United States of America, a brilliant diplomat well known to us all. 171. Once again I should like to thank those who have sympathized with our grief in these difficult times. Their wishes for Mr. Bouattoura’s speedy recovery will be transmitted to his family and to the Algerian Government. 172. In conclusion, let me say that the Algerian delegation is pleased to note that Russian, the language of Gorky and 173. Mr. LI[U (China): First of all, I should like to associate my delegation with the words of tribute that have been eloquently extended by previous speakers to the new members and to the retiring members of the Council. In particular, Sir, I welcome you as the first President of the year. 1’74. Perha.ps I may add how glad I am to welcome back to our midst an old friend and esteemed colleague, Ambassador Yost, who is no stranger to this Council. 175. At its twenty-third session, the General Assembly, in resolution 2479 (XXIII) adopted on 21 December 1968, recommended to the Security Council to consider the advisability of including Russian and Spanish among the working languages of the Council. The CounciI is now called upon to give effect to that recommendation. 176. Members of the Council cannot be unaware of the fact that the distinction between working and other official languages in the deliberative organs of the United Nations has been steadily diminishing as has been pointed out by the Secretary-General in a report issued in 1967.3 177. The Security Council, as far as the use of languages is concerned, differs from other deliberative organs of the United Nations in that here speeches are interpreted not only simultaneously but also consecutively. The consecutive interpretation of a speech into three or four languages, irrespective of their merits, would necessarily be a timeconsuming process and may have the effect of impairing the efficient and effective performance of the Council’s functions. On the other hand it must be noted that in practice the Courdl has in recent years tended to reduce the volume of consecutive interpretation, which is frequently dispensed with in the interest of expedition. 178. It is thus clear that, in the Security Council as in other deliberative organs of the United Nations, the distinction between working and other official languages has come to be rather academic. While my delegation does not see the necessity or wisdom of formally increasing the number of working languages, we have no objection to the proposal provided that in practice no undue burden will be imposed upon the Council’s proceedings. 179. Allow me to say a few words in the light of what has been said about the Chinese language, I am very much impressed by what the representative of Nepal had to say about the Chinese language but I cannot help regretting that he was so carried away as to touch on matters outside the scope of our consideration. 180. Mr. President, in your introductory remarks you enjoined all members of the Council to act for all Members of the United Nations. Those were wise words. Indeed the 3 Ibid., Twenty-second Session, Annexes, agenda item 82, docnment A/6860.

There are no further speakers on my list, and I should like to take this opportunity to make a brief statement’as representative of FINLAND. 182. When the question of the working languages of the various organs of the United Nations was considered by the General Assembly, my delegation voted in favour of the recommendation that Russian and Spanish be included among the working languages of the Security Council, and naturally we support the draft resolution that is now being considered by the Council. 183. The international importance of the Russian and Spanish languages in the world today is self-evident and needs no further elaboration. It is the hope of my delegation that the addition of those two languages to the working languages of the Council will improve mutual understanding among its members and thus prove to be a gain for us all. We should like to Iook upon the decision that the Council is about to take as an indication of the great interest of the Russian and Spanish speaking nations in the activities of the United Nations and of their commitment to this Organization. 184. I should not wish to conclude this statement without taking the opportnnity to thank most sincerely all those representatives who in their statements today have made such generous comments about my country and about myself. These expressions of goodwill give us greater confidence as we now begin our term as a member of the 7&e draft resolution was adopted.4

In connexion with the adoption by the Security Council of the resolution on the inclusion of Russian and Spanish among the working languages of the Security Council and of the annex attached to it containing a new wording of rules 41,42,43 and 44 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, I wish to make the following statement. 187. The provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council deal with consecutive interpretation of statements into the working languages, and the revisions now made are the consequence of the decision to add Russian and Spanish to the working languages of the Council. The established practice of simultaneous interpretation of statements into ail the official languages of the Security Council remains unchanged. In the light of subsequent experience of the practical effects of the decision to increase the number of its working languages, the Council may wish to consider at a later stage whether any improvements in the practices of the Council could be made in order to enable it to carry out its tasks as effectively as possible. The meeting rose at 1.40 p.m. 4 See resolution 263 (1969).